Can bird feeders get wet

Believe it or not all bird feeders are designed to be left out in the backyard, with no need to bring them in when the weather brings a downpour of rain.

Feeders can get wet so therefore would get unavoidably water damaged in order to continuously feed your birds all year round. Damage done to feeders by rain is limited to some fading in plastic, little tarnish in metal or weathering effect seen on wooden feeders. Concentrate more on replacing bird food more often.

Its not as simple as suggesting bird feeders can be left out in the yard with no issues, but they are expected to be left out in the backyard come rain or shine.

Damage done to bird feeders if allowed to be continuously exposed to wet weather can seen notable effects. But to clean out the feeders twice a week can slow down the process or stop it all together.

Allow bird feeders to get wet, which would in affect see the bird food in use get water damaged. Similarly, rain water can get into hummingbird feeders with no effect at all.

But to see rain water continue to be exposed to peanuts, seeds or suet - can see the food rot far sooner - and therefore result in the feeder interior seeing rot damaged.

This can be avoided if changing out bird food regularly along with a bird feeder clean up.

To extend the life of your bird feeder, you can position the feeder under cover providing its still seen and accessible to birds, with a blooming tree made very effective.

Similarly, you can commit to maintaining the feeders by heading out in the yard between downpours, to pour out any build up of rain water... but this is unlikely for most of you.

Feeders can get wet

You'd be pleased to know not only your bird feeders, but indeed any type of bird feeder can get wet as its left to hang outdoors.

In fact, bird feeders are made in such a way they are designed to get wet.

How bird feeders get wet would likely be caused by wet weather due to rain, but even so moisture that enters or builds up within the feeder due to condensation is also allowable if cleaned up on a regular basis.

Bird feeders can get wet so manufacturer's build the plastic feeders in a weather proof, durable plastic construction - while the metal feeders are protected to prevent rust.

Similarly, wooden bird feeders would be treated in preserve to prevent rot settling in, with the weather effect damaging the wood in use.

Its probably best to not bring your bird feeders indoors when it rains, or indeed gather them all if there's snow due; as they would be in perfectly good shape to withstand what mother nature has to throw at them all.

Forget about taking down feeders in anticipation of a drop of rain or wet weather then, while focusing more on replacing bird food to stop it rotting so soon.

Replace bird food sooner

Focus less on what is going to be a rugged build of any bird feeder, while being more concerned on the contents of the feeders in hand.

While plastic, metal or wooden feeders are sure to last years to come if looked after properly, as in cleaning bird feeders regularly - its the bird food used that is sure to cause the most hassle.

Not only then would bird food allow to rot damage the interior of the feeder, but indeed the wet weather can speed up the process.

And well bird feeders can be left out in the wet, the food exposed to a continuous downpour of rain can cause feed to germinate quicker, but more so when combined with high humidity.

Its now up to you to replace this bird food not once, not twice but three times a week if you have to.

Not only in wet conditions as the sunnier, humid conditions are sure to see the bird food become unusable far sooner.

Unfortunately there's little you can do to stop bird feeders getting wet when exposed to the elements, but to position feeders under a blooming tree would help.

Effects of wet weather

While you must continue to feed birds in wet weather via hanging bird feeders, a platform feeder or through other means, damage to feeders would be unavoidable.

Let's face it, nothing last forever, so a simple cheap to make bird feeder isn't going to last outdoors forever, come rain or shine.

So while the product loses some of its ruggedness in due course, the color on bird feeders is the only area seen to fade the longer feeders are left outdoors.

This is an unfortunate effect that is due to keeping bird feeders outdoors in the wet weather, as the UV light is also a contributing factor.

Feeders made in plastic will fade in color over the coming years, but so to will metal bird feeders see tarnished patches.

Similarly, wooden bird feeders would need treating every year to replace the preserve that would slowly vanish the longer its left out in the yard.

Continue to leave your bird feeders sitting out in the backyard like you've always had, as birds don't stop feeding in damp weather so will continue too want to feeders.

Effects of wet weather can change the color of any kind of bird feeder, with more or less damage done depending on what the feeder is made in. Plastic would last much longer while wooden feeders need more care and attention.

Your bright, beautifully made in plastic red hummingbird feeder appears vibrant now, but the effects of rain on a hummingbird feeder would cause it to dwindle in time, so its not limited to regular feeders.

Conclusion

Make no mistake, bird feeders of any type should be left out in your yard everyday of the year; more so with peanut, seed or suet feeders - but less so with hummingbird feeders.

Regular bird feeders that are developed to hold nuts, seeds, suet or any of the popular bird food can be left out in the rain with little to no obvious effect.

Indeed, the most that can happen in regards to noticeable damage are plastic areas fading in not only the wet weather, but so to the under the heat of the sun.

Unfortunately, hummingbird feeders can be effected more if its the plastic kind, as the plastic base and its retaining clear plastic bottle that holds the nectar would soon cloud over.

As it happens people don't often hold onto bird feeders for too long, as they often upgrade to newer feeders for a brand new start.

However, I will say you'd need to concentrate your effects on keeping the bird food dry as possible contained within the feeders, to stop it going rotten so quickly.

It can be a near impossibility for most of you, but to position bird feeders that are still accessible under the eaves or under the shelter of a tree can help. Not only do you avoid direct UV light, but it should keep rain off the feeders currently in use.

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